Properties.—Several violently poisonous alkaloids (veratria, colchicina, sabadillina, and jervina) are peculiar to this order. They exist in combination with organic acids. These bases, as well perhaps as resins, are the active principles of the order. The Melanthaceae are acrids (emetics, purgatives, diuretics, and errhines) and sedatives (see vol. i. p. 258). When acting as poisons, they are called narcotico-acrids (see vol. i. p. 234).